Louisiana Energy Services Heads for Second Phase of $3 Billion Uranium Enrichment Project

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Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--The U.S. Rocky Mountain region is set to kick off more than $6.8 billion worth of projects in 2010. Nearly two-thirds of this value ($4.5 billion) comes from projects in the Chemical Processing and Power industries. The Power Industry is planning to kick off 48 projects worth a combined $2.6 billion, ranging in value from a $1 million maintenance outage to an estimated $427 million grassroot combined-cycle power plant. For additional information, see article from November 11, 2009 - More Than $1 Billion of Wind Projects Planned for Rocky Mountains Region in 1Q10.

Click on image at right for a breakdown by industry of projects planned to kick off in 1Q10 in the Rocky Mountains region.

In sharp contrast to the large number of power projects, only eight significant Chemical Processing Industry (CPI) projects are planned to kick off in the region in the first quarter of 2010. These projects' hefty combined value of more than $1.64 billion comes primarily from a single planned project: the expansion of Louisiana Energy Services' (LES) (Eunice, New Mexico) new uranium enrichment plant, located five miles east of Eunice. Construction of the project has been set to occur in two phases. The first phase of the project, with an estimated total investment value of $1.4 billion, involved the construction of the original 3 million-SWU (separative work unit) facility.

This first phase of the project is essentially finished. LES President and CEO Reinhard Hinterreither has said that he expects federal regulators to conduct a final readiness review this month, with final inspections occurring in December and January. Phase II of the project, which will almost double the facility's capacity, is expected to start immediately thereafter. The $1.6 billion second phase will expand the plant to a 5.9 million-SWU facility. The expansion will reportedly allow the plant to meet approximately 50% of U.S. enrichment demand. The expansion project is scheduled for completion in late 2013 or early 2014.

Information on these projects or nearly 200 other Chemical Industry projects planned to kick off in the first three months of 2010 can be found in Industrial Info's North American Industrial Database.

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